By Ayo Onikoyi

The recent posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award given to Fela Anikulapo Kuti at the Grammys has sparked renewed debate about the role of international awards in African music. While many celebrate the historic recognition of Nigeria’s Afrobeat pioneer nearly three decades after his death others see it as a bittersweet moment that highlights deeper issues of cultural dependency. Uptown the Maskking, the enigmatic Afrobeat artiste known for his masked persona and unapologetic style, has weighed in forcefully, arguing that true greatness needs no foreign stamp of approval.

Uptown the Maskking points to Fela’s enduring legacy as proof that African icons have always stood tall without external validation. “We know Fela to always be a lifetime achiever and didn’t need the American Academy Awards Grammys largely controlled by some interests to tell us that our Abami Eda was great,” he asserted. “We knew from the world go that he was great even in death, unlike those who needed validation on their names to show wings of brightness, despite their talent.”
He questions the intense focus on Grammy wins, viewing the pursuit as a symptom of deeper insecurity. “I wonder what the buzz about Grammy. I said it some years ago that seeking validation is a mark of inferiority,”
Uptown the Maskking stated.

He argues that foreign award bodies impose their standards, forcing African artistes to conform and diluting originality. “What these foreign award bodies do is that they dilute our music and make our artistes to succumb to their standards and that is cultural colonialism,” he said. “Just know that since the day we opened the door to them we have began to see some drop in quality and standards and originality of our music.”
While acknowledging the talent of recent Grammy winners from Africa, Uptown the Maskking expresses reservations about the system itself. He calls for a shift toward homegrown recognition that honors cultural depth and spiritual essence rather than imported benchmarks. “As much as I would want to congratulate the Grammy Award winners, I still feel Africa need an home grown award that appreciates culture and the efforts of our talents and not the foreign standards,” he emphasized. “Music is about culture and spirituality and not humiliation.”

He accuses the Grammys of exploiting African talent for publicity while allegedly favoring predetermined outcomes and industry plants. “They use African artistes to pull clout and hype over their event but has allegedly positioned their industry plants for the awards,” he claimed. “From the outcomes, it seems they predetermine the winners of the Grammys.” Uptown the Maskking warns against allowing a small group of mostly American board members to judge African music, calling it “utter madness.” In his view, this dynamic amounts to outright colonization of Afrobeats.

The critique resonates at a time when African music particularly Afrobeats enjoys global dominance yet remains tethered to Western gatekeepers. Uptown the Maskking’s call for an authentic, Africa-centered awards system challenges the continent’s creatives to prioritize self-worth over external applause. True cultural power, he suggests, lies in defining success on our own terms rooted in heritage, innovation, and uncompromised identity.
As Fela’s legacy receives belated global honor, voices like Uptown the Maskking remind us that Africa’s musical giants have always been great. The real revolution may lie not in chasing Grammys, but in building platforms that celebrate African excellence without apology or dilution.